REVIEW: Thumper (The Basement)

February 5, 2014

Unanimous decision [by Matt Baker] The inciting incident that rings the bell in Simon Ward’s play is, unfortunately in today’s society, by no means a fanciful subject matter. However, the lesser reported, and unaccounted, consequences are a source of great dramatic material. A court-appointed psychological evaluation for an assault charge is an inevitably sure-fire situation, and Ward has written a […]

REVIEW: Just Above the Clouds (The People Who Play with Theatre)

February 5, 2014

Cirrusly Funny [by Sharu Delilkan] As we entered the theatre we couldn’t help notice the set’s striking resemblance to Roger Waters’ legendary concert’s Berlin Wall setting, the only difference being that it was the “paper sky” version. Opening with cubist fireflies making up the cloud aspect of the show title, the a capella vocal sounds and repetition set the tone […]

REVIEW: Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys (Smoke Labours Productions)

February 3, 2014

The journey, not the destination [by James Wenley] It struck me while watching Sam Brooks’ Riding in Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys how many moments of great (and small) personal drama burns out while stuck in an automobile. While Film loves to show wheels in motion, cars can be problematic to represent and rather static in action in a stage drama. […]

REVIEW: My name is…Pilitome (Kila Kokonut Krew)

January 28, 2014

Life of P.I.> [by Sharu Delilkan] In true Pacific Island style we were greeted by noneother than the playwright himself, Vela Manusaute, when we arrived at The Martin Hautus Institute Performing Arts Centre in Onehunga to see his new show My name is…Pilitome. However I must admit that I was saddened to hear that the Kila Kokonut Krew (KKK) had […]

REVIEW: 360 A Theatre of Recollections (The Civic)

January 16, 2014

Coming full circle [by James Wenley] I’ll begin in a round-about way. If you’ve heard anything about 360, you’ve likely heard about the unusual stage and seating: we are enclosed in a pit bordered by a circular stage, seated on swivel chairs bolted to the ground.  We 80 privileged few are on the stage of The Civic itself, but we could […]

REVIEW: Knock Knock (The Dust Palace)

December 14, 2013

Whose there? [by Sharu Delilkan] The foyer of The Herald Theatre was buzzing with excitement as people read the decree on the scrolls adorning the walls. The Dust Palace had thrown down the gauntlet to us as audience members, and everyone headed towards their seats wondering what they were in for – especially since the dreaded “audience participation” card had […]

REVIEW: A Basement Christmas Carol

December 9, 2013

What the Dickens [by James Wenley] You know the silly season must be upon us when you find yourself thinking: “for the love of baby Jesus, not another Christmas Carol adaptation”. Dickens’ morality tale has been trotted out so many times that you’d think they’d be no bah-humbing curmudgeons still left to heed the message. What is there left to say? […]

REVIEW: Robin Hood (Outfit Theatre Company)

December 6, 2013

Back in the Hood [by Matt Baker] Following a twelve month hiatus, The Outfit Theatre Company returns to the stage with possibly their most commercially and critically successful of enterprises; the kids’ holiday show. The ensemble nature of the company’s management has been reduced to the show’s producers; Sarah Graham and Ema Barton, seemingly in exchange for a plethora of writers; […]

REVIEW: Gloria (Vintage Collective)

November 25, 2013

Homeward longing [by James Wenley] Gloria quickly washes over you with a warmly sentimental “feel-good” factor.  This is partly invoked by the knowledge that the one-woman play is based on the true story experiences of war bride Gloria Stanford, and the accompanying nostalgia associated with New Zealand in the World War II era. Then mix in a little national pride: her […]

REVIEW: Zooquatic (The Basement)

November 21, 2013

A fish out of water [by Matt Baker] Having seen the original production of Zooquatic earlier in the year as part of the Short+Sweet Auckland Theatre Festival, I was excited to see in which direction this full-length adaptation would be taken and how much further the parody of the content would be pushed. Absurdist in its comedic style and melodramatic […]

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